The present invention refers to fluid distribution devices of the type having an inlet duct that receives a fluid, two outlet ducts and deviating means for distributing the flow passing through the inlet duct between the two outlet ducts. The field of application to which the invention refers is generic, both with reference to the type of fluid (liquid or gaseous) and with reference to the system in which the distribution device is installed. Purely by way of example, the systems for distributing conditioned air in buildings or motor vehicles can be considered.
The Applicant has already proposed an air distribution device including Coanda-effect deviating means in Italian patent application TO2001A000223, filed on Mar. 12, 2001 and still secret at the date of filing this application. A motor vehicle dashboard incorporating this device also forms the subject of a further pending application by the same Applicant.
The object of this invention is that of providing a device of the initially indicated type equipped with improved deviating means, which are advantageous from the viewpoints of simplicity and functionality. In order to achieve this objective, the object of the invention is a fluid distribution device of the above-specified type, characterized by the fact that the said deviating means include a mobile wall suitable for controlling the deviation of the flow, which adheres to the walls due to the Coanda effect, the said mobile wall being moveable between a first position, in which it is incorporated in a side wall of the said inlet duct that extends to form a wall of the first of the said outlet ducts, such that the entire flow is made to adhere to it due to the Coanda effect, and is thus directed into the said first outlet duct, and a second position where the upstream end (with respect to direction of the flow) of the said mobile wall protrudes inside the duct to form an irregularity on the internal surface of the said side wall, provoking the separation of the flow from the said surface and its adherence to the second outlet duct, always due to the Coanda effect, resulting in its consequent deviation.